Arizona's wrongheaded law - OUR OPINION: Now Congress must fix it

Miami Herald, The (FL) - Tuesday, April 27, 2010 Author: Miami Herald

Suddenly, immigration is back on the front burner thanks to a controversial new law that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed last week. It fundamentally changes the law by making illegal immigration a state crime requiring police to make arrests and check the status of anyone who looks suspicious.

The problems are glaringly apparent. In Arizona, 30 percent of the population of 6.6 million is Hispanic or of Hispanic origin. That's a huge target group. The criteria for determining what constitutes ''reasonable suspicion'' is so vague that critics fear anyone with the ''wrong'' color of skin or the ''wrong'' accent -- including legal immigrants , citizens and tourists -- will be fair game for over-eager law enforcement. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles calls the new law unworkable, mean-spirited and probably unconstitutional.

Posted By: Ayanna Spikes

Page: A12
Provided By: The McClatchy Company
Index Terms: Justice Department
Location(s): Arizona; Los Angeles; Mexico
Personal Name(s): Jan Brewer; Roger Mahony
Record Number: 201004270100KNRIDDERFLMIAMIH_60817
Copyright (c) 2010 The Miami Herald

Arizona's wrongheaded law - OUR OPINION: Now Congress must fix it
Herald, Miami. "Arizona's wrongheaded law - OUR OPINION: Now Congress must fix it." Miami Herald, The (FL) 27 Apr. 2010,: A12. NewsBank. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.